Mo’Nique reveals why she thinks she was blackballed and how Lee Daniels shot down her career.
During an interview with Inside Edition, Mo’Nique responded to the controversy that erupted following her recent comments about being blackballed in Hollywood.
In the interview, Mo’Nique reveals she was only paid $50,000 for her work on the Academy Award winning role in Precious, adding that director Lee Daniels told her she has been blackballed for not playing by Hollywood’s politics. “I’m not complaining about the money because that’s what I signed up for,” she says.
The actress has not landed any major roles since her win and, according to Daniels, her reputation of being “difficult” is the reason why she is no longer a leading actress in any movie roles or TV shows.
This is what Mo’Nique has to say:
Daniels told Mo’Nique that she made too many demands and no one in Hollywood wanted to work with her because of her reputation for being so difficult.
“To say that I am difficult, any project that I have ever done, when they say ‘Wrap’ and that’s it, we are all hugging and crying, speaking about the great experience that we had,” she told Trent.
He asked, “You think there are ways that you can act differently in the future where you wouldn’t be labelled as difficult?”
She replied, “You know what, Les? To stand up for what is wrong, I couldn’t even do that differently. Would I not stand up for Gabourey Sidibe who they wanted to fly coach to France. That is a long ride, we are big women. I will still stand up for that. I will never stop standing up for injustice.” [via]
Mo’Nique says that Lee Daniels did offer a role in his hit movie The Butler but the part went to Oprah Winfrey instead. Other acting roles “just went away,” she says.
Mo’Nique is now promoting her latest movie, Blackbird, which is an independent movie she stars and produces. The movie comes out in April.
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